Signaling equipment for automobiles



April 21, 1925.

A. J. SCHEIDECKER SIGNALING EQUIPMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed April 22 1924 Patented Apr. 21, 1925.

UNITED STATES ALPHONSE: JONAS SCHEIDECKER, 0F BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA.

SIGNALING EQUIPMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed April 22, 1924. Serial No. 708,270.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALPHONSE J. SCHEP DECKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baton Rouge, in the parish of East Baton Rouge and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Equipments for Automobiles; and I do declare the following to' be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

In the operation of closed automobiles, it is customary to leave one front window completely or partially open, so that the driver may readily project his hand for giving signals as to his intentions. This is very objectionable, however, in cold weather, and it is the principal object of my invention to provide a novel means whereby an opening formed in the window, through which to pass the hand and arm, may be normally sealed, the sealing means being such that it is moved out of the way simply by pressure of the hand against it.

Another object is to provide a construction which may well be associated with the side curtains of a touring car or roadster,

eliminating the necessity of leaving one of the curtains partly unfastened, for purposes of projecting the hand and arm to signal.

With the foregoing in View, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one form of the invention in connection with a closed automobile.

Figure 2is an inner side elevation .on an enlarged scale, partly broken away.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View as indicated by line 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is an elevation showing a different form of construction.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3,1the numeral 1 designates a suitably finished metal plate which is substituted for the lower end of the usual front window pane 2, the upper edge of saidplate 1 being preferably formed with a channel 3 which receives the lower edge of said pane. The pane ,2 and plate 1 preferably move bodily when opening or closing the window.

Formed through the plate 1, is an opening 4 which is preferably, although not necessarily, of oval form, said opening being of asufiicient size to permit the driver to pass h s hand and arm therethrough, for giving signals. 'An elastic closure, preferably formed of rubber, is provided for the openmg 4. This closure preferably consists of a pair of elastic sheets 5 and 6 having straight overlapped edges 7 and 8 extending across the central portion of the opening 4. The peripheral edges of'the sheets 5 and 6 may be secured against the plate 1 in any suitable manner, for instance by the continuous metal frame 9 which is secured to the plate by screws 10. When attaching the sheets 5 and 6, they are both stretched longitudinally and the sheet having the outermost of the overlapped edge portions 7 and 8, is preferably stretched to a greater extent thanthe other sheet. Thus, after the two sheets have yielded outwardly beyond their normal plane as the drivers arm is passed through the opening 4 and the two sheets are ulled inwardly beyond said lane by with rawal of the drivers arm, t e sheet having the greatest tension, will snap back to its initial position as soon as the drivers hand is completely withdrawn, and will be followed by the other sheet. It is thus insured that the desired overlapping relation of the two sheets shall be self-produced after each operation of the device. In the present showing, the sheet 6 which has its edge portion 8 disposed at the outer side of the sheet 5, is the sheet which is placed under greatest tension.

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 4: and 5, an opening 4: is formed in a window pane 2 of an automobile, and elastic sheets 5 and 6 similar to those above described, are employed to close this opening. To secure the sheets in place, a continuous frame has been shown, said frame having a portion for reception within the opening 4, bein provided with a pair of outstanding continuous flanges 11 which engage opposite sides of the pane 2, and being further provided with a pair of inwardly projecting continuous flanges 12 which contact with opposite sides of the sheets 5* and 6, screws, rivets or the like 13, being passed through the flanges 12 and the edge portions of the sheets, to secure the parts in assembled relation. This construction may well be used when my invention is either built into the pane at the factory, or is later attached thereto,as is also true with the form of construction first described. also be stated, that a construction similar to that illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 may well be used for mounting the elastic closure in an openingformed in an automobile side curtain, the only change necessary, being that the flanges 11 must be closer together, unless spacing means .is employed between them and the curtain.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that I have provided a very simple and inexpensive, yet a highly desirable means for permitting unhampered projection and retraction when giving signals. Attention may further be invited to the fact that before projecting his arm, it is not necessary for the operator to open the device in any manner, it being simply necessary for him to force his hand against the elastic covering, whereupon the latter yields out and its split opens to permit the arm to be projected. When withdrawing the arm, the sheets 5 and 6, of course yield inwardly and when these sheets are released, the one having the greatest tension snaps to its initial position first and is immediately followed by the other sheet, so that the desired overlapped relation is attained.

As excellent results may be derived from the details disclosed, they may well be followed, but within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous minor changes may be made.

I claim:

1. An automobile having an opening in one side through which the drivers hand may be passed for signaling, and an elastic closure for said opening having a self-closing slit through which to pass the hand.

2. An automobile having an opening in one side through which the drivers hand may be passed for signaling, and an elastic closure for said opening consisting of two elastic sheets having overlapped disconnected edge portions extending across the opening.

It may here of the drivers arm- 3. A structure as specified in claim 2; the

4. An automobile having an opening in\ one side through which the drivers hand. may be passed for signaling, a continuous frame having a portion fitting within said opening and provided with an outer pair of flanges straddling the material around the opening, said frame. also having an inner pair of flanges and an elastic closure having its edge held between said inner flanges, said closure having a self-closing slit through which to pass the hand.

5. A device of the class described comprising a frame of a size to permit passage of a human hand therethrough, said frame being adapted to extend around an opening in the side of an automobile, and an elastic closure extending across and secured to the frame, said closure having a self-closing slit through which to pass the hand.

6. A device of the class described comprising a frame of a size to permit assage of a human hand therethrough, said frame being adapted to extend around an opening in the side of an automobile, and an elastic closure extending across and secured to the frame, said closure consisting of .two elastic sheets having overlapped disconnected edge portions extending across the opening.

7. A structure as specified in claim 6; the outermost of said edge portions being under greater longitudinal tension than the other edge portion, for the purpose set forth.

8. A device of the class described comprising a frame having a portion for reception in an opening in one side of an automobile and of a size to permit passa e of the drivers hand therethrough, said ram-e having an outer pair of attaching flanges and an inner pair of flanges, and an elastic closure having its edge gripped between said inner flanges, said closure having a selfclosing slit through which to pass the hand.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

ALPHONSE JONAS SCllElDl-ICKER 

